Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Open Access Master's Report

Degree Name

Master of Science in Applied Science Education (MS)

Administrative Home Department

Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences

Advisor 1

Shari Stockero

Committee Member 1

Amy Lark

Committee Member 2

John Irwin

Abstract

Getting students to shift from doing the lesson to doing science (physics) is not only the goal of science teachers across the state, but it is the goal of the most recent standards released by the state of Michigan. To aid students in shifting from thinking like students to thinking like scientists, this study sought to explore how increased feedback, provided by the teacher on students’ work, as well as feedback provided by the students on their weekly learning, could shift students’ perceptions of science. Students’ perceptions of physics were measured using an adapted Colorado learning attitudes about science survey [CLASS] at the start and end of the study to measure shifts in perceptions between the comparison group and the experimental group that received this increased feedback. While the survey results indicated no significant shift in students’ thinking, evidence of a shift in students acting like scientists was discovered through student work, both on completed assignments and on weekly feedback surveys.

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